New to weddings - On a Budget - Thoughts and Suggestions needed

Robert James · March 8th, 2011, 09:07 PM

I am certainly looking at monopods now. I went and tested those Manfrotto 560 and 561 monopods and I am impressed with what they can do, though I think the 560 is more lightweight for carting it around on hikes and such.

New question. When in my local camera shop I was looking at picking up a Velbon c-500 or c-600 http://www.vistek.ca/store/ProPhotoT...eo-tripod.aspx. Yes, I know, the plates on the monopod won't match but bear with me for a moment. I am NOW thinking of pitching in a few more bones and getting the Konova Slider: 50KG Tele lens Camera Camcord slider dolly track 5d2 7d. They have free shipping now and I like that it comes with a carry around bag.

That said, the guy at the camera store kind of laughed at me when I said I was going to put the slider onto the Velbon tripod, as though it wouldn't hold. I thought it wouldn't be a problem.

You see, my idea was to attach the slider to the Velbon tripod head and then purchase a Manfrotto mounting plate to place the camera on top (or use the head from the 560 or 561). The Konova slider is one where you can't just screw the base of the camera into it and it needs a plate/head so I figured I could attach that Manfrotto and be off to the races by having matching plates on the tripod/monopod/slider trio.

Thoughts?

Johannes Soetandi · March 8th, 2011, 10:35 PM

I did that when I frist started. But I found having the slider on the tripod is very annoying. .. especially if you're planning to have it there most of the time! It becomes too big and too annoying to carry, setup and operate.

I only mount my slider on tripod if I really need to.. most of the times, I make use of what's around me (chairs, tables, etc).

Your tripod will be one of your core equipment. Don't complicate it.

Robert James · March 24th, 2011, 11:49 PM

Okay, so a bit of an update. After much research, and heeding some of the advice posted here, I up'ed my budget considerably and have added:

3 16gb Class 10 Lexar Cards
1 16gb class 6 lexar card
1 8gb class 10 pny card
2 Zoom H1 Handy Recorders
2 8gb Micro Kingston Cards (for the handy recorders)
2 Furryhead windscreens
1 Manfroto 561B monopod
1 Rode Shockmount with shoe adapter (to mount H1 to camera)
1 pair of headphones to monitor audio

and the biggest addition to the bunch: a new computer for editing:

*Intel Core i7 Quad-Core Socket LGA1366, 3.06Ghz, 4.8GT/s FSB, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm
*Antec Three Hundred Gaming Case ATX 3/0/6 2xUSB Audio No PS
*Samsung SH-S223C/BEBE SATA Black 22x DVD-Writer OEM
*Western Digital Caviar Black (WD1002FAEX) 1000GB (1TB) SATA3 7200RPM 64MB Cache OEM
*Asus P6x58D-E Socket 1366 Intel x58 + ICH10R Chipset CrossfireX / 3-way SLI Triple-Channel DDR3 2000(o.c.)/1600/1333/1066Mhz 3x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Dual GigaLAN 8-CH HD Audio 2x SATA 6Gb/s + 6x SATA 3.0Gb.s 2x USB 3.0 ATX
*Asus VE228H, 21.5" LED Widescreen monitor 1920x1080, 5ms (GtG), 10,000,000:1 (ASCR) w/speakers, VGA, DVI-D, HDMI
*Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 High Performance 750W Power Supply
*G.SKILL Ripjaws Series DDR 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 12GB (3X4GB) Triple Channel Kit
*Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 64-bit
*EVGA GeForce GTX 460 1024MB (01G-P3-1370-TR) nVidia GeForce GTX 460 Chipset (720Mhz) 1024MB (3600 Mhz) GDDR5 Dual Dual-Link DVI/Mini HDMI PCI-Express 2.0 Graphic Card

* * *

I think, for the moment, this will have to do.

Oy vey! If only I knew what I was getting into when I bought that camera. :p

March 8th, 2011, 09:07 PM	#46
Robert James Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 137	Re: New to weddings - On a Budget - Thoughts and Suggestions needed I am certainly looking at monopods now. I went and tested those Manfrotto 560 and 561 monopods and I am impressed with what they can do, though I think the 560 is more lightweight for carting it around on hikes and such. New question. When in my local camera shop I was looking at picking up a Velbon c-500 or c-600 http://www.vistek.ca/store/ProPhotoT...eo-tripod.aspx. Yes, I know, the plates on the monopod won't match but bear with me for a moment. I am NOW thinking of pitching in a few more bones and getting the Konova Slider: 50KG Tele lens Camera Camcord slider dolly track 5d2 7d. They have free shipping now and I like that it comes with a carry around bag. That said, the guy at the camera store kind of laughed at me when I said I was going to put the slider onto the Velbon tripod, as though it wouldn't hold. I thought it wouldn't be a problem. You see, my idea was to attach the slider to the Velbon tripod head and then purchase a Manfrotto mounting plate to place the camera on top (or use the head from the 560 or 561). The Konova slider is one where you can't just screw the base of the camera into it and it needs a plate/head so I figured I could attach that Manfrotto and be off to the races by having matching plates on the tripod/monopod/slider trio. Thoughts?

March 8th, 2011, 10:35 PM	#47
Johannes Soetandi Major Player Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 387	Re: New to weddings - On a Budget - Thoughts and Suggestions needed I did that when I frist started. But I found having the slider on the tripod is very annoying. .. especially if you're planning to have it there most of the time! It becomes too big and too annoying to carry, setup and operate. I only mount my slider on tripod if I really need to.. most of the times, I make use of what's around me (chairs, tables, etc). Your tripod will be one of your core equipment. Don't complicate it.

March 24th, 2011, 11:49 PM	#48
Robert James Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 137	Re: New to weddings - On a Budget - Thoughts and Suggestions needed Okay, so a bit of an update. After much research, and heeding some of the advice posted here, I up'ed my budget considerably and have added: 3 16gb Class 10 Lexar Cards 1 16gb class 6 lexar card 1 8gb class 10 pny card 2 Zoom H1 Handy Recorders 2 8gb Micro Kingston Cards (for the handy recorders) 2 Furryhead windscreens 1 Manfroto 561B monopod 1 Rode Shockmount with shoe adapter (to mount H1 to camera) 1 pair of headphones to monitor audio and the biggest addition to the bunch: a new computer for editing: Intel Core i7 Quad-Core Socket LGA1366, 3.06Ghz, 4.8GT/s FSB, 8MB L3 Cache, 45nm Antec Three Hundred Gaming Case ATX 3/0/6 2xUSB Audio No PS Samsung SH-S223C/BEBE SATA Black 22x DVD-Writer OEM Western Digital Caviar Black (WD1002FAEX) 1000GB (1TB) SATA3 7200RPM 64MB Cache OEM Asus P6x58D-E Socket 1366 Intel x58 + ICH10R Chipset CrossfireX / 3-way SLI Triple-Channel DDR3 2000(o.c.)/1600/1333/1066Mhz 3x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Dual GigaLAN 8-CH HD Audio 2x SATA 6Gb/s + 6x SATA 3.0Gb.s 2x USB 3.0 ATX Asus VE228H, 21.5" LED Widescreen monitor 1920x1080, 5ms (GtG), 10,000,000:1 (ASCR) w/speakers, VGA, DVI-D, HDMI Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 High Performance 750W Power Supply G.SKILL Ripjaws Series DDR 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 12GB (3X4GB) Triple Channel Kit Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 64-bit EVGA GeForce GTX 460 1024MB (01G-P3-1370-TR) nVidia GeForce GTX 460 Chipset (720Mhz) 1024MB (3600 Mhz) GDDR5 Dual Dual-Link DVI/Mini HDMI PCI-Express 2.0 Graphic Card * * * I think, for the moment, this will have to do. Oy vey! If only I knew what I was getting into when I bought that camera. :p Last edited by Robert James; March 25th, 2011 at 12:40 AM.